Zorin Group today announced the release of Zorin OS 12.2, its Linux-based operating system for beginners and advanced users. This version brings new innovations from the Open Source community together with a familiar user interface, requiring nearly no learning curve for PC users.

"After 9 years of development, Zorin OS has made enormous progress in opening the world to a better computing experience, with over 17 million downloads to date," said Artyom Zorin, CEO of Zorin Group. "We believe this new release will prepare Zorin OS for countless new users in more homes, businesses, and governments around the world."

The development team has focused on refining the desktop environment and core technologies, readying the system for new classes of users seeking a faster, more powerful, and secure computing experience.

Desktop Performance and Usability Enhancements. The Zorin Desktop environment has been upgraded with speed & stability optimizations to the software and more responsive user interaction. When using the default desktop layout, you can now hover over window previews in the panel to get a full-size peek, making it quicker to find what you're looking for. These improvements help make the Zorin OS desktop easier and more intuitive for newcomers.

Better Windows App Support with Wine 2.0. The newest version of the Wine compatibility layer for Windows apps has been built into Zorin OS 12.2. This means more Windows apps run faster and with greater reliability than ever before. This is the first release of Zorin OS to support Microsoft Office 2013, further optimizing the operating system for use in business environments.

Zorin OS Lite is Even Better for Old PCs. The Lite editions of Zorin OS 12.2 now include the Disk Usage Analyzer app out of the box. It gives detailed information about which files and folders are taking up space on your computer at a glance. This makes Zorin OS Lite work better for low-spec computers with limited storage, making it the ideal lightweight operating system to revive old PCs.

Improved Core Technologies and Hardware Compatibility. Zorin OS 12.2 introduces the updated Linux kernel 4.10 with new hardware drivers and strengthened security out of the box. These updated core technologies make the operating system even more resistant to viruses and ransomware attacks, while also adding compatibility for newer hardware including PCs with the new AMD Ryzen processor series. These enhancements make Zorin OS work even better on the computers of today, and ready for the machines of tomorrow.

Zorin OS was started in 2008 to bring the power of Linux to the general public, through a focus on designing a simple user experience with a familiar yet adaptable desktop interface. The desktop operating system is designed to make computers faster, more powerful, and safe from viruses, and can be installed as a replacement to or alongside Windows and macOS. To date, Zorin OS has been downloaded over 17 million times with users in homes, schools, and organizations around the world, including the City of Vicenza, Italy. Zorin OS is available to download as pay what you want (for the "Core", "Lite", and "Education" editions) in addition to the set-price Premium editions ("Ultimate" and "Business") which include more applications, features, and support.